Israeli police issue arrest warrant against religious teacher

Jerusalem: Israeli police has issued an arrest warrant against a prominent Rabbi, a senior figure in religious Zionism, for refusal to appear for questioning on the support he gave to a controversial book, "Torat Hamelech," which justifies killing non-Jews.

The commander of Hebron police visited Dov Lior`s home
several days ago and informed him that there was an arrest
warrant against him, daily Ha`aretz reported.

Lior told the officer that he will `not take part in the
dishonouring of the Torah` and that he would not show up for
questioning by the police, which he claimed was aimed at
"silencing Rabbis".

Rabbis Yitzhak Shapira and Yosef Elitzur published "Torat
Hamelech" in November 2009 that discusses the conditions
according to Jewish law under which one may kill gentiles, i e
non-Israelite peoples.

A criminal investigation ensued as a result of the book`s
publication.

Lior and former legislator, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, supported
the book and refused to cooperate with police.

They even issued a letter stating that the Torah is not
subject to police investigations.

Sources close to the Rabbi told the daily that "he is
adamant about not appearing at the questioning on his own
accord in order to put an end to the persecution of the Torah
and bolster other rabbis".

The issuance of an arrest warrant against a great Torah
figure of such magnitude, when all this is about is the backing he gave to a book, is a crossing of a red line,
McCarthyism .
Would they have behaved this way against an academic of
the left?," he questioned.

The book discusses the legal aspects of life-and-death
issues between Jews and non-Jews, especially in times of war.
It speaks of the importance of a Jewish soldier saving his
life or the life of a fellow Jew, even if the consequence is
killing those who threaten Jewish lives.